Parole visas okayed for families of Filipino WWII vets in U.S.

Family members of Filipino World War II veterans can now apply for parole visas and reunite with parents here in the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced May 6.

With the exception of immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, the number of family-sponsored immigrant visas available by country of origin in any given year is limited by statute. These limits result in long waiting periods before family members may join petitioning U.S. citizens or permanent residents in the United States and become permanent residents themselves. For some Filipino American families, this wait can exceed 20 years.

The Department of Homeland Security, which will administer this program through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), finally issued policy guidelines spelling out in detail who are eligible to apply. DHS will start accepting applications beginning June 8.

Under the policy, certain family members of Filipino World War II veterans may be eligible to receive a discretionary grant of parole to come to the United States before their visa becomes available. In limited cases, certain eligible relatives will be able to seek parole on their own behalf when their Filipino World War II veteran and his or her spouse are both deceased.